Hurricane season is an old and familiar threat for many residents living along the southeastern coast of the U.S. Hurricane Matthew, which made landfall in the U.S. Oct. 8, left an estimated $6 billion worth of property damage in its wake across five states (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia).

Unfortunately, many insurance policies require homeowners to purchase supplemental policies for specific coverage for natural disasters like hurricanes and flooding. Homeowners in Matthew’s path will need to act quickly to file damage claims with their insurance companies.

Here are some tips to get started:

1. Report any crimes to the police. If your home has been burglarized or vandalized, you should report that to the police first. File a police report and make sure to write down the names of all of the officers that you speak with. Your insurance company will ask for those police records.

2. Contact your insurance agent. Next on your list should be contacting your insurance agent to get any damage and/or loss claims started. Contact the insurer as soon as possible. Insurance companies typically put limits on the time homeowners have to file claims, which vary by state. Ask the insurance agent if your coverage includes hurricane insurance. Disaster policies often have deductibles, so be sure to ask your agent if you will have to meet a deductible before your coverage kicks in. Lastly, ask for a timeline for your claim, so you know when to expect it to be completed.

3. Gather all necessary paperwork. Take this time to ask your insurance company what documents you’ll need to report damage or loss. They may ask for repair estimates or evidence of structural damage.

4. Make temporary repairs. Insurance claims can take weeks or even months to process. Don’t wait that long to make repairs to your home that could pose a safety risk to your family. Keep all of your receipts so that you can be potentially reimbursed down the road.

5. Beware of contractor scams. Sadly, natural disasters can be a prime breeding ground for contractor scams. Be wary of anyone who charges a fee to help you complete disaster assistance forms like those offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those are provided for free from both FEMA and the American Red Cross. Also, don’t agree to a random inspection by someone posing as a federal emergency response agent. Check their credentials first and ask for a phone number to verify that they are with an authorized agency. Some scam artists have been known to charge unwitting homeowners fees to enter them into federal “grant programs” that purport to help hurricane victims. Legitimate grant programs do not require upfront fees.

6. Relocating? Keep your receipts. If your home has been rendered uninhabitable, and you are forced to relocate, keep track of those moving expenses as well. Some insurance policies will cover you for the “loss of use” of your home.

Insurance claims can take weeks or even months to process. Don’t wait that long to make repairs to your home that could pose a safety risk to your family. Keep all of your receipts so that you can be potentially reimbursed down the road.

7. Take inventory of damaged or lost items. Make a list of damages, and check it twice. You’ll need it to prove any losses that you claim. Take pictures or video of the damage, and don't throw anything away yet. Make note of all of the damages you’ll need the adjuster to see. If an item is not properly recorded, you could lose its value in the claim. While you’re at it, get your electrical system checked. It may cost you upfront, but it’s worth checking, and most insurance companies will reimburse you for the inspection.

Pull together your inventory and bundle it with any copies of receipts you can find for your damaged items to give to the adjuster when they arrive. Turn it over with any repair estimates that you’ve gotten from licensed contractors, as it could help speed up the process.

8. Make an appointment with the claims adjuster. More than likely, your insurance company will also send an adjuster to check out your home, verify your claims, and tell you how much the damage is worth. They should connect with you soon after you contact the insurance company to arrange a time to come to assess the damages. When they connect with you, make sure you have any necessary paperwork ready to go, and you will be all set to finish your claim.

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